Module description
The Odyssey, alongside the Iliad, stands at the beginning of Greek literature as a model and point of reference. Both poems defined the epic tradition from antiquity onwards, but also more generally inspired Greek and Roman culture and the later traditions that drew on classical culture. This module offers the opportunity to study the poem closely in English translation and to engage with its thematic preoccupations that unfold around the complex character of Odysseus.
The Odyssey is driven by its hero's conscious choice to reject immortality on Calypso's island and to return to 'the fleeting, ephemeral world to which he belongs' (J.-P. Vernant). Unlike Achilles' choice in the Iliad (against which the Odyssey positions itself self-consciously), Odysseus chooses to face the challenges of carrying on among the living and the poem accordingly explores issues of belonging, family, power, property, guilt, and the indispensable nature of storytelling in human life.
Assessment details
1 x 2500 word essay (100%)
Teaching pattern
10 x 1-hour lecture (weekly); 10 x 1-hour seminar (weekly)